Page 31 of Beneath the Fame

When I met his gaze again, it was very…familiar.

Very reminiscent of how he’d been looking at me on that couch during ourArnez and Arizonaappearance. This time though, instead of just looking, he reached out to touch, using a hand under my chin to tip it up so he could kiss me.

His other arm snaked around my back, closing at my waist to pull me in.

Okay.

He wasn’t playing.

And I was perfectly willing to participate, happily indulging the maneuverings of his tongue in my mouth, different from either other time.

The first time had been…a little uncertain.

The second…a little conservative, due to the setting.

This time…I wasn’t sure if it was the liquor or the expectation of privacy, but he kissed me like he had a point to prove, like…he definitely wanted to take advantage of one of the hotel rooms so conveniently in our reach.

Or hell…maybe just…right here.

No.

“Are you trying to get in my panties, Alec?” I asked when we finally managed to pull away to take a breath.

“That depends—are you extending an invitation?”

Was I?

As completely ready and willing as my body was…my mind wasn’tquiteas sure. The last person I slept with—freaking Bronx Boy—had truly just been a fling, and had been intended as this ultra-private, one-time thing I could smile about when I pulled it from my memories.

And itwasthat, until it ended up being a fucking disaster, through no fault ofeitherof us.

I was already skittish about being connected toanyoneafter that, and now all this drama was just making it so much worse. Making me so…fearful.

I didn’t want to feel like that.

What I wanted was whatever nameless emotion this was that Alec made me feel. Comfortable, desired, valued, cared for, all wrapped up into this one foreign thing I couldn’t find the right word for.

Whatever it was, it was too alluring to allow overthinking to get in the way.

“We should get a room.”

He didn’t smile, but approval gleamed in his eyes as he met my gaze, holding it to ask, “Are you sure? It’s cool if?—”

“No. I’m sure,” I said.

So…we got a room.

It was quiet between us after that though, through leaving the restaurant to board the glass-walled elevator.

Confidence in my appearance had never,everbeen a problem for me, but the way Alec stared at me the whole ride to the one of the highest floors, completely ignoring the stunning view in favor of scrutinizing me, was…daunting. I turned away from him, staring out at the glittering, colorful lights of the city as a reprieve.

It worked well.

I was so committed tonotpaying attention to him that I didn’t even catch that he’d crossed the small space to come up behind me, wrapping his arms around my waist.

Verbally, he said nothing.

But his mouth on my neck saidplenty.

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